Wire fabric.



H. RICHARDSON.

WIRE FABRIC.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 24. 1913.

Llflfifi. Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPN CO..WASHINGTON. D. c.

H. RICHARDSON.

5 l 9 l 6 1 V 0 N 0 Au t n .w a D1 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO-LWASHINOTON. n. c.

HENRY RICHARDSON, CF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WIRE FABRIC.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 116, 1915.

Application filed DecembertM, 1913. Serial No. 808,547.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY RICHARDSON, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in fire Fabrics, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wire fabrics, and has reference more particularly to wire fabrics of the kind at present extensively used to form the bottoms of beds, couches and like articles of furniture.

One type of bed and couch fabric now largely employed is characterized structurally by the presence of parallel longitudinal strands composed of interhooked bent wire units or links connected transversely at intervals by wire cross links. The interhooking of the links forming the longitudinal strands in this type of fabric creates a weakness in the fabric at these points of connection, owing'to the liability of the hooks to pull or straighten out under strain. This same weakness also inheres'in fabrics wherein the end portions of the wire forming each link are connected merely by interengaging hooks on said ends or by a hook on one end engaging a loop on the other end, since in all such cases there is present in the link at or intermediate its ends one or more hooks having a free or unsecured bent portion in the direct line of longitudinal strain, the strength of which to resist tensional strains is far below the breaking point of the Wire itself. I

The general .object of my present invention is to provide a new and improved wire link fabric structure of a type heretofore originated by me and which is specially characterized by the fact that it may be made of a considerably lighter gage of wire than was theretofore possible. This object I accomplish by a novel structure of link and a novel connection of the links-that, in common with the type above referred to, entirely obviate the presence anywhere in the fabric of unsecured ends of loops or hooks in a line or lines of strain. Furthermore, my improved fabric dispenses with the use of separate cross links connecting adjacent longitudinal strands, and lends itself well to the employment of integral cross'arms which serve all the purposes of separate cross links and simplify and cheapen the construction.

In the accompanying drawings 1 have illustrated my invention in several slightly varied forms; and referring thereto Flgures 1, 2, 4 and 7 are fragmentary top plan views of wire fabrics embodying the invention in slightly varying forms. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of a portion of the fabric structure shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a cross sectional detail, enlarged, on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary bottom plan view, enlarged, of a portion of the fabric of Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional detail, enlarged, on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary bottom plan view, enlarged, of a portion of the fabric of Fig. 71

The novel fabric of my invention, in all of the forms illustrated, includes a plurality of links or units each composed of a single length of wire bent upon itself to provide the characteristic features, common to all of the forms shown, of a two-ply body member having closed ends, with one of the end portions of the wire extending laterally of the body member to form a cross-arm for connecting laterally adjacent links, while the other of said end portions is extended across the body member of the link in a manner to partially or wholly embrace the same and is then clenched or otherwise secured to the cross-arm, preferably at a point adjacent to the juncture of the latter with the body member. The free end of the end portion of the wire which forms the crossarm is flexibly connected to a corresponding link in a laterally adjacent strand; and the links in the longitudinal strands are flexibly connected end to end, preferably by a simple interlooping of the closed ends of their body members.

In all forms of the invention shown 10 designates the two-ply body or tension member of the link, and 11 one of the closed ends of the latter, preferably formed by asimple U-bend of the wire integrally joining the two limbs of the body member. I I

12 designates a two-ply loop forming the other closed end of the link, the two sides of the loop being integrally joined across and above'the tension member 10, One of the end portions of the wire, which as herein shown forms an extension of the longer portion of one limb of the body member in all of theseveral forms of the invention illustrated, is bent at substantially a right angle to the latter, forming an integral crossarm 13.

Referring specially to the form of the invention. shown in Fig. 1, the shorter end portion of the wire which forms an extension of the shorter portion of one limb of, the body member, is carried across and then shown at 17, to form a loop that will not pull out under strain. 7

' Theconstruction illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 is quite similar to that of Fig. 1, differing only in that the two limbs of the body member are twisted together, as shown at 20 just inwardly, of the U-bend 11, and the loop 16. of the cross-arm embraces both limbs just inwardly of the twist 20 instead of passing through the terminal loop or eye which in this case is somewhat smaller than in the construction of Fig. 1.

Figs, 4, 5 and 6 illustrate still another form of the invention, wherein the short portion of one limb of the body member crosses the cross-arm above the latter, as shown at 21, and the end portion of the wire forming an extension thereof extends thence across the under side of the body member as shown at 22 (Figs. 5 and 6), extends thence upwardly and across the upper side ofthe body member as shown at 23, and is then curled around the orossearrn as shown at 24.

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 illustrate a slight variation of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, diflering from the latter in that the shorter end portion of the wire,

after crossing the cross-arm and embracing the body member in the manner shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, is curled around the crossarm in a direction opposite to that shown in Figs. 4 to6 inclusive, as shown at 25.

In the constructions of Figs. 4 to 6 and 7 to 9 inclusive, it will be observed that the shorter end portion of the wire that forms the link completely embraces the body member of the latter as well as being secured at its end to the cross-arm, and this constructio a f d a very omplet and fe v tying of the free end of the wire and also ties together the two limbs of the body member against spreading under lateral strain.

The preferred manner in which the links are connected up in the fabric is clearly apparent from the drawings; the closed ends of endwise adjacent links being interlooped, and the terminal loop of each cross-arm being flexibly engaged with the corresponding end of a laterally adjacent link.

The fabric, in all of the forms shown and described herein, by reason of the clenching or anchoring of the free ends of the wire of each link and the avoidance any where in the fabric of unsecured ends of loops or hooks in a line or lines of strain, can be made in a much lighter and smaller wire than has heretofore commonly been used in the manufacture of bed and couch wire link fabrics, and yet possesses a much greater tensional strength than the heavier wire fabrics now in use. The fabric possesses a high degree of flexibility both lengthwise and crosswise, so that it can be folded or packed for shipment or storage within a comparatively small space.

I clairn 1. A wire link fabric, including a plurality of links grouped in longitudinal and transverse rows, each of said links consisting of a single length of wire bent to form a two-ply body member, and having one of its end portions extended laterally of the body member to form a cross-arm, and having its other end portion extended across said body member and at its extreme end secured to said cross-arm; the links of the longitudinal rows being flexibly connected end to end, and the links of the transverse rows having their cross-arms flexibly connected to laterally adjacent links.

2. A wire link fabric, including a plurality of links grouped in longitudinal and transverse rows, each of said links consisting of a single length of wire bent to form a two-ply body member, and having one of its end portions extended laterally of the body member to form a cross-arm, and having'its other end portion extended around said body member and at its extreme end secured to said cross-arm; the links of the longitudinal rows being flexibly connected end to end, and the links of the transverse rows having their cross-arms flexibly connected to laterally adjacent links.

3. As an article of manufacture, a wire fabric link consisting of a single length of wire bent to provide a two-ply body member with closed ends, and having one of its end portions extended laterally of the body member to form a cross-arm, and having its other end portion extended across said body member and at its extreme end secured to said cross-arm.

4:. As'an article of manufacture, a Wire her and at its extreme end secured to said fabric link consisting of a single length of cross-arm. Wire bent to provide a two-ply body member With closed ends, and having one of its HENRY RICHARDSON end portions extended laterally of the body Witnesses:

member to form a cross-arm, and having its SAMUEL N. POND,

other end portion embracing said body mem- MARY M. LEPPO.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

